MozamWeek

Where did YOU grow up? Was it someplace special? I grew up in a very normal place. I spent a week back in there. In the 70's and early 80's we lived in houses within a few miles of where I was born. The last house was on Popp Road at the edge of Grandpa's 40 acres. Mom, my kids and I enjoyed our stay at my aunt's house right next door to our last "Daddy-built" home. Driving down the road with the afternoon sun glowing through golden, green and orange woods I had to think, "There is really no prettier place in the world." I'm so thankful for having a chance to grow up on the edge of a cornfield... on a gravel road lined with trees... just a jog or bike ride from my grandma's house... with a blue sky overhead and fresh air blowing through the leaves. I'm thankful for the closeness of family that provided much perspective on life and shaped my choices for the future. I'm thankful for the ...

It has been over a month since my first USA post on MozamWeek. I have been quite lax in communicating, I guess. Time with family getting adjusted to this life in Alabama has been good. We have gotten together each weekend (mostly for birthday celebrations - September seems to be the hot month for that around here!) What can I write when there are no interesting cultural quirks that I can point out without offending my neighbors? I'm only half kidding. Alabama is full of cultural quirks that people are pretty proud of! Right now, we are leading up to Homecoming at the kids' school. As a K-12 school, the younger kids are also involved in homecoming more than in a larger school. So we are volunteering for banner construction and have stacks of fundraising opportunities to help with (insert a groan). Buy doughnuts? Sell coupon books? Get your face painted in class with the team logo for only a dollar? After spending so much time in Mozambique, a dollar has more meaning than it ...

When you are from a place as huge and wonderful as America it is hard to leave. It is interesting that very few Americans actually HAVE passports at all. They really feel no need to ever go anywhere else. With all the diversity and beauty and prosperity within our borders, I guess they are right. You really don't NEED to go anywhere else if you are an American in America. But, I'm one of an estimated 35% of Americans with a passport. I not only live overseas but am married to an alien. (He's only an alien when we are in the USA, though.) Coming home is a rare thing. We can't afford to make the $8,000 trip every year with the family. We average once in three years and then we divide our visits between Sweden and the USA. It is hard, but it is best for us. I've been back for three weeks. We took the long way home to a place in Alabama. On the way we visited Washington DC and marveled at modern sculpture and ancient dinosaurs all in the same day. We headed to Orl...

Driving through the countryside in Sweden Through forest and farmland Then... Blocks of blue and white and gold and black and red   overtake the green Shopping centers. Grocery stores. Parking lots with rows of spaces... a few cars stand shiny, without rust... without dust. Metal, plastic, colored glass, clear glass, cardboard, newspapers... Recycling bins awaiting deposits from the conscientious residents of a conscientious country. ... bright squares standing in the sky. Golden arches on a red sign promise drive-thru service of burgers and fries until 2am. Now... Bike lanes. Bus stops. Round-about. Overpass. Traffic light. Houses tighten their ranks. Lawns draw in close. Flowers in pots. Balconies. Blocks of brick reach higher. Town. Stone buildings three hundred years old. Sharp roof-lines. Church steeples. Bells ring at noon. Parks. Cobbled walks. Tiny shops with gilded writing announce- "REA" "SALE" in...

I'm in Sweden. I have been for a month now. Deep sigh. The air is clean. My feet are clean! I wear white... and it stays white. Welcome back... ... after years in Africa's throbbing heart I see... The flag is blue crossed with yellow. The grass and trees are green. Lakes shimmer surrounded by pine and birch and oak. Red houses with white trim. Summer... The sky is blue from 4am to 10pm. Another day. The sky is gray with heavy clouds and cool rain. Another day. The sun warms again in the clear sky. In the car... Wheels hum on the black ribbon cutting through the pines. Passing... Fields of green... hay, oats, wheat Fields of yellow... canola flowers. Roadside wildflowers, shoulder-high... white, yellow, blue and pink... nodding in the green. Horses trotting in the pasture. Cows grazing in the pasture. Passing... Campers. Campgrounds. Boats. Canals. Trains. Stations. Crossings with booms. Summer vacation in Sweden... ...

We are down to the final countdown! I have about 5 more nights in Mozambique. I have lots to do. My satellite TV  subscription is suspended... and I'm not renewing it. I no longer own a piece of Africa, but Africa holds a piece of me for always. I'm thankful for friends who are praying for our family as we prepare to leave. I'm thankful for friends who have helped and more who have offered to help. I'm thankful for finalizing a couple of big last-minute financial issues. I'm thankful for kids who take all of this in stride (at least on the surface) and look forward to moving on while holding good memories of Africa, Mozambique, Tete, Home. For now, I need to disconnect from all this communication. For a week or so I will experience all the new things that my travels will bring. When I'm settled somewhere else, I will touch base. You can always email me... I'll get the message eventually.

My English speaking friends here all talk about ticking things off their lists. I usually check them off in America, but I find myself ticking off things from the long list today! Paperwork from immigration - check Paperwork #1 from City council - check Taxes completed and signed and photocopied - check Taxes mailed off in a registered envelope to USA - check Lodging for Lilongwe confirmed - check Lodging for Nairobi confirmed - check Lodging for Stockholm confirmed - check What remains... is... a lot! BUT, I have tomorrow... and the weekend.... and the next week! I hope I REALLY get TOTALLY ticked off NEXT week!